Button ornament



FEB. 18, 1930. s. M. RIKER BUTTON ORNAMENT Filed Jan- 4, 1928 INVENTQR Janus/M fizfiern BY 7 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES SAMUEL M. BIKER, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY BUTTON ORNAMENT Application filed January 4, 1928. Serial No. 244,505.

This invention relates, generally to ornaments for shoes; and, more particularly, the invention relates to ornaments adapted to be used as coverings for the buttons of shoes and also adapted to be attached at other parts of a shoe.

An object of the invention is to provide an ornamental covering for shoe buttons which covering has parts for securing the same in place on a button.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ornamental covering for shoe buttons which covering is adapted to fit over a button strap and has parts adapted for binding a buttoned strap against its button and thereby itself as well as the strap in place on the button.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention and from the drawing, and the invention also consists in the devices and arrangements of parts set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawin accompanying and formin a part of this application:

Figure 1 is perspective view taken at the back of an illustrative embodiment of the invention and showing the fastening parts carried thereby;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a low shoe having a buttoned strap and an ornament of the invention fastened thereon; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

In the drawing, like reference characters are used throughout to indicate correspondparts.

Referring now to the drawing the referenoe character 1 indicates an ornamental plate of stamped metal or other suitable material which plate is somewhat concave at its backsurface to nest over a button over which it is fastened. The front of plate 1 carries an ornamental device provided there on as by stamping, engraving, enameling and so on. At its back said plate 1 carries a metal strap 2 which extends across the plate 1 near the top and is spaced apart therefrom and fixed thereto by the inturned ends 8, 8. Extending downwardly over the back of plate 1 are the prongs 4, 4 which are fixed to said bar 2 and, preferably, are made unitary therewith. Said strap 2 with its inturned ends 3, 8 and said prongs 4, 4 are preferably madeof a stamping from sheet metal which has a degree of springiness, the several parts of the stamping being of a width suitable to give them strength and to engage and lay snugly against the parts with which they come into contact.

Said prongs 4, 4 as they extend downwardly over the back of plate 1 also extend toward each otheruntil they meet; they then curve away from each other and around until they meet or nearly meet again whereby they de linear-substantially circular opening 5. From the bottom of said opening 5 the ends 6, 6 of said prongs 4, 4 curve away from each other in an inverse curve to define a V shaped passage for guiding a button stem which is to be; inserted into said opening 5. Said opening 5 is located opposite he center of the concavity of said plate 1 and is adapted to receive the stem of a button positioned under said prongs 4, 4 and nested in said concavity, and the springiness of said prongs 4, 4 adapt them to hold a button, or ahutton and a strap fastened thereon, in engaged or gripped relationwith the concave back of said plate 1. This gripping relation can be furthered by making a curve orbend in said prongs inwardly toward said plate 1 and then outwardly as shown in Figure 3.

Referring particularly to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, a 10W shoe 8 has a strap 9 which, is fixed at one endand extends across the instep of the shoe. At its free end'said strap 9 has a button for fastening onto a button 10. The ornamental plate is applied by inserting said prong 4, 4 between said strap 9 and the shoe, with said prong ends 6, 6 on either side of the stem 11 of the button 10. The plate 1 is then pushed down until said stem 11 is forced past the meeting parts of said prongs 4, 4 at the bottom of opening 5 and passes into said opening 5. In this position the spring of said prongs 4, 4 Will cause them to press the strap 9 against said buttonlO and the latter in gripped relation with the back of said plate 1 which is nested thereover. This arrangement provides for holding the ornament in securely attached relation on the shoe so that it cannot be lost there from and yet permits'of its ready removal when desired.

The ornament of the invention as shown and described is also adapted for use over a button alone without a strap; and the device can also be slipped over a strap alone, as at itscentr or any other part, for use as an ornament, and said prongs 4, 4 will hold the button or strap in gripped relation against the concave back of plate 1 to securely hold the ornament in place.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the various arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, without departing from the scope of this invention as above described, and as defined in the appended claims. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations as described in the foregoingspecification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the form and construction of said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim:

1. A button ornament structure comprising, an ornamental front plate, a substantially U-shaped bar member having its bottom portion extending across the back of said plate in spaced relation therefrom, said bar member having inturned ends formed on its sides and attached to said back plate, prongs provided at the ends of the bottom portion of said bar member, said prongs converging toward one another while remaining substantially parallel to said front plate and meeting at a distance from said bar member, said prongs diverging from their point of meeting and again converging to form a substantially completely closed button receiving opening.

2. A button ornament structure comprising, an ornamental front plate, a substantially U-shaped bar member having its bottom portion extending across the back of said plate in spaced relation therefrom, said bar member having inturned ends formed on its sides and attached to said back plate, prongs provided at the ends of the bottom portion of said bar member, said prongs converging toward one another While remaining substantially parallel to said front plate and meeting at a distance from said bar member, said prongs diverging from their point of meeting and then again converging to define a substantially completely closed circular button stem encircling opening, the free ends of said prongs diverging from said opening to provide a guiding passage thereto.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of December, 1927.

SAMUEL M. RIKER. 

